


Cat-ch the Shiny!

by LadyKae



Series: My Miraculous One Shots and Shorts [12]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: "Nettie" is the cutest Nickname Adrien can give Marinette, Adrien Agreste Is Sunshine, Attempted manipulation, Best Friends, Bullying, F/M, Guardian Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Humor, Identity Reveal, Laser pointers, Protective Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Protective Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Will it lead to Romance after all?!, You will have to prise that from my cold dead fingers, cat instincts, platonic fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-08
Updated: 2020-10-08
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:08:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26892721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyKae/pseuds/LadyKae
Summary: Another wondrous prompt from the Miraculous Fanworks Discord Server, given by the indomitable Prompt Overlord: InkyCoffee!Marinette gets one huge step closer to figuring out that her Kitty is someone close to her in her civilian life the day that Mlle. Bustier starts using a laser pointer as a teaching aide and Plagg can't stop himself from chasing it.This one was so much fun to write! Enjoy my darlings!
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Series: My Miraculous One Shots and Shorts [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1736878
Comments: 36
Kudos: 313





	Cat-ch the Shiny!

**Author's Note:**

  * For [InkyCoffee](https://archiveofourown.org/users/InkyCoffee/gifts).



Marinette wasn’t certain when it happened, but shit hit the fan and quick.

It started off like any other Friday would. Mr. Ramier had an early morning akumatization, which coincidentally helped her to arrive on time for once seeing as how it woke her up. Like any other Friday, Lila was holding court, spinning tales of the grandiose things she had planned for the coming weekend. Marinette resigned herself to tuning the Italian out, adopting the mindset of believing it when she saw it.

This Friday was also unlike any other Friday because their history teacher paired the students off for a project, to be completed and turned in within three weeks time. By some stroke of luck, he deigned to pair Marinette up with Adrien. 

The looks she got from Lila and Chloe were worth every second, considering those two got paired together as well. 

“I bet you twenty that they turned in a half completed project due to Lila claiming some random ailment preventing her from helping,” Adrien whispered as he turned around and leaned over the desk.

Marinette snorted in her mirth before scribbling down ideas for them to consider. “Taken, I bet you a Ladybug themed kigurumi if you win. If I win, on the grounds that neither of them turn in anything because neither will do the work, you get me the mats to make myself a Chat Noir themed kigu. Deal?”

Adrien chuckled as he thought it over. “Deal. I look forward to that Ladybug themed onesie. Do you need my measurements?”

“Not yet, but I expect only the fluffiest, softest fabric to work with for my Chat Noir themed one,” Marinette shot back with a wink. 

This had become commonplace for them, a means for them to make light of the situation while waiting for Lila’s long con of the class to blow up in her sausage framed face. Small bets of varying monetary or crafting value, along with some inside jokes, had strengthened their friendship over the last six months. She was the one Adrien turned to when Kagami broke it off with him, citing that he hadn’t switched his target and was wasting her time. Likewise, Adrien was Marinette’s rock when Luka let her go as well, though it was because he left Paris to attend a prestigious music school that he got in on a scholarship for. 

Marinette was glad that she was working on being a better friend to him rather than a potential love interest. It made it easier to talk to him. In doing so, Marinette also tore down the pedestal she put Adrien on when her crush was out of control. After everything that happened and all they went through together, there was one truth the designer could not deny.

Adrien was a dork in disguise.

“I’ll make sure it’s the fluffiest. I wonder if I can find it in red with black polka dots,” he joked with a small laugh.

Their teacher cleared his throat to get the classes attention again and Adrien patted Marinette’s hand before turning back around. “You and your partners will need to come to an agreement on a theme, and build your report off of that. The more the effort, the higher the grade. Just keep in mind that the central theme to branch off of is Ancient Greece, considering that’s the era we’re covering at this time. You’ll need to submit your topics to me by the end of next week, along with any preliminary research your team starts in between,” he said as he looked at the class. “Otherwise, I’ll let you all start brainstorming now. Those that wish to go to the library are permitted to do so, and I’ll take my leave to let you work in peace. See you for class on Monday. Have a wonderful weekend everyone!”

Adrien turned back around as he plucked up his messenger bag. “Hey Als, switch with me?” he asked.

Alya chuckled as she gathered her things as well. “Sure thing, Sunshine. Have fun you two,” she replied as she patted Marinette’s shoulder before taking Adrien’s seat.

Marinette bounced excitedly as she showed Adrien the possible topics she came up with, though he shook his head in negation. “What do you mean no?” she asked with a slight scowl.

“Nettie, this is us we’re talking about. Think about it. What’s the one thing we know the most about and can pull off better than anyone else?” Adrien said with a conspiratorial grin.

Something must have sparked to life in her eyes, because the grin gave way to a soft smile as he leaned on the desk.

“Of course!” Marinette gasped before drawing a large, bold ‘X’ through the list, and writing fashion in capital letters. 

They faced each other, sharing a quick double high five before bumping their knuckles together.

“Think we can get extra credit for physical examples?” asked Adrien. 

“Maybe? He did say the more the effort, the higher the grade. Surely some groups are going to go over the top,” Marinette replied.

Adrien nodded. One such bet was Max and Sabrina. Alix and Kim were a hard maybe in that category as well. “Wanna theorize on what group does what?”

“Maybe later. I wanna head up to the library for a bit to see if I can find some literary sources to work with. See you in literature after lunch?” Marinette stuffed her list into her bag before rising to her feet. 

“See you for Ms. Bustier’s class without fail. Text me and let me know if you find anything. If you don’t, I might be able to ask my father for a nod in the right direction considering our theme,” Adrien replied. 

“Sounds like a plan. See you soon, Adri!” Marinette exclaimed before hightailing it from the room.

* * *

Adrien’s smile was soft as Marinette ran out the door and he packed up his things as well. He needed to send a text to Nathalie now to see if he could schedule a quick meeting with this father during his lunch break. Better to ask now for a nod rather than wait. Besides, the more information they had, the better. Sure enough, just as he was sending the text, he got a message from Marinette telling him to ask his father anyways. He chortled to himself before getting to his feet, wanting to dash from the room the moment the bell rang. 

He would have been scot free too, until a pair of shadows fell over him from a few steps above. He willed his expression to stay neutral, as their stance reminded him too much of the power plays his father made at standing at the top of the staircase at home. 

Marinette came clean to him three weeks after the events of Miracle Queen started about Lila’s threats and lowkey bullying in class. Needless to say, his deal with Lila was off. Adrien wasn’t going to stand for Lila’s act any longer. Not only that, he could admit he was wrong to give Marinette the advice he did. Lila’s lies were hurting someone one after all, and he’d been ignorant to it until her heart wrenching wails removed the blinders from his eyes.

His princess was suffering and Adrien wasn’t going to let it stand.

The first point had been to get Lila removed as a model, which proved to be easy enough. There was one evening where Lila forced a shoot to go on two hours longer than necessary because of her constant posturing and bickering with the photographer. Even Nathalie reached the end of her tether with the girl, and it wasn’t until she received a call from Gabriel that things were set in motion. Adrien hadn’t heard much of the call admittedly, only bits and pieces of his father’s bellowing.

Then Gabriel showed up at the shoot himself, just as Lila was bickering with the photographer yet again about the best pose. Her grimy little hands kept sliding down to his hips, inching closer to forbidden territory, and she was oblivious to Gabriel’s approach, though Adrien saw him.

His father’s explosion rocked everyone in the room, and he promptly called Mrs. Rossi to come collect her daughter before he had her charged with several counts of sexual harassment and assault. Even then, that wasn’t off the table, and Gabriel ordered Nathalie to draft up a release. It was one of the few times that his father had his back and the two spoke in greater length later that night, with Gabriel reaffirming that Adrien was indeed allowed to tell anyone no if he didn’t like the way they were touching him. In the end, Adrien decided not to press charges or get a restraining order at this time. He didn’t want to be removed from his classes with Marinette and someone needed to have her back. 

Besides, Adrien surmised, his “Everyday Ladybug” would have his back if need be.

Chloe was a different story altogether though, and he was both deeply hurt and affronted at her behavior since Hawk Moth last manipulated her. Adrien wasn’t going to stand for her bullying Marinette either and started giving her the cold shoulder nary a week after her akumatization. Unlike the other times, she remembered everything and regretted nothing. Adrien refused to associate with someone who would willingly work with a terrorist.

“What?” he deadpanned, his brow furrowed as he looked up at the two.

“You should speak to the teacher and request a partner change,” Lila said, the sweetness in her voice masking the venom of the demand. 

“Why should I? Marinette and I already have a base to work off of. Besides, you’re no longer spying on me for my father,” Adrien supplied, making all the heads in the room turn towards them. Lila’s eyes flashed dangerously at him before she poured on the crocodile tears.

“Me? Spy?” Lila wailed. “Adrien, how could you say such a thing?!”

“Quite easily, considering the timeline of events. Every time I tried to schedule something with Nino, Alya, and Marinette, lo and behold, my schedule was changed and more shoots with you were put into the time slots I was aiming for,” Adrien replied. His green eyes narrowed on the Italian. “I may be blond, but I’m far from stupid. My grades are only second to Max in this class, with Marinette tying me for even. You know my grades are important to me, as is my time. I’d rather have a partner I can rely on than team up with either of you.”

One could hear a pin drop after that verbal nuke. The bell rang, but no one moved as Adrien waged silent war with the two girls. 

“Don’t come crying to us when you fail because she can’t keep up,” Lila snarled.

Adrien’s gaze narrowed further at the thinly veiled threat. Those two were going to stop at nothing to sabotage their project. It didn’t matter.

He and Marinette would be ready and waiting for them.

Slowly, he turned for the door, meeting Alya and Nino there and the three made their ways to the stairs.

“Dude, what was that?” Nino asked.

“I’m sick of her bullshit,” Adrien replied, his grip white-knuckle on his bag. He shook his head a bit, realizing who he said that to. 

Oh man, if only Marinette was present to witness that confrontation.

“What do you mean, Adrien?” Alya’s hand on his shoulder stopped him from going further and he cast his gaze to the ground before meeting Alya’s eyes.

There was no stopping him now that he was on a roll. 

“Exactly what I said, Als. I’m not going to explain it any further to you because you didn’t believe Marinette. Why would you believe me over her?” he replied. “That being said, I need to get going. My bodyguard is out front and waiting for me.”

* * *

Marinette was bubbling with excitement as she entered Ms. Bustier’s class. She found several books on their project topic and had already borrowed them from the library with the intent to read them over the weekend, all the while making notes and small sketches in between to highlight points to bring up during their presentation. Everything related to their project was in the sanctuary of her room, which her parents knew not to let anyone at all up there. Marinette didn’t even notice that everyone was talking in hushed whispers up until she came in, but she did realize all eyes were on her.

The only ones not here yet were Chloe, Lila, and Adrien.

“Do you all need something?” she asked, her voice wavering a little in her nervousness.

“M, I think we really need to talk about what you missed after you left for the library,” began Alya, but the door opened again to reveal Adrien.

There was a black look on his face, one that was banished in lieu of his model smile when his eyes fell on her.

“Maybe later, Als. Excuse me for a minute,” Marinette said. She waited for Adrien to put his things down, but the moment he was free of his burdens, she hauled him off to the empty room next door. They met Ms. Bustier on the way, with the assurance they would only be a few minutes. 

“Thank you for letting me know, Marinette. I’ll excuse it this time, but don’t take too long. We’ve got a lot to cover today in class, alright?”

“Of course! We need no more than ten minutes, you’ll see!”

Ms. Bustier looked as if she were about to protest that amount of time, but her phone dinged with a notification. “If you think you’ll be that long, can the two of you go to the teacher’s lounge instead and grab a few things for me? Ms. Mendeleive just informed me that the copies I made are finished. They need to be stapled in order, but that should take about fifteen minutes. There won’t be anyone there either, so you’ll have privacy for that amount of time,” she compromised.

Adrien grinned and nodded to Marinette. “That’ll work, Ms. Bustier. See you soon!”

The moment they were in the teacher’s lounge, they found the copies their teacher spoke of and got to pairing everything up. Marinette put the papers in order while Adrien carded and stapled them.

“Spill the tea, Adri. What’s going on?”

Adrien sighed as he tapped the papers against the table. “Lila and Chloe tried to pull one of my father’s tactics and force me to switch partners. It didn’t work, but I put Lila’s dirty laundry on blast,” he admitted.

Marinette grinned to herself as she bumped his shoulder. “We can play damage control from here, Adri. Don’t worry,” she said. 

“I’ve already warned both Nathalie and my father there may be some measure of retaliation to expect. Lila and Chloe might try to sabotage our project. I think, for the interim, we need to keep all our materials at my house. I’ll speak to Father and Nathalie over the weekend to let you come over so we can work,” Adrien replied solemnly.

Marinette nodded and she smiled as she handed Adrien the last set. “That sounds like a solid plan, Adrien,” she said as she laid her hand on his shoulder. “Don’t worry. If I’m your “Everyday Ladybug”, you can be my “Everyday Chat Noir”. After all, there wouldn’t be a Ladybug if not for him, and I wouldn’t be here without your support or friendship either. You and me against the world?” she said, offering her raised fist for a bump.

There was a faint flush on Adrien’s cheeks, but he raised his fist to hers nonetheless. 

It wasn’t like he knew where she got that from after all.

Adrien’s brow quirked after a second as he grinned. “If I’m the Chat Noir to your Ladybug, does that mean I get to pun, m’lady?” he asked.

Her heart stuttered at the use of the nickname Chat called her, spoken in the exact same cadence and inflection. Instead of melting down, Marinette hid her panic behind an unamused rolling of her eyes and a shove to his shoulder while he laughed. “You do that, and I’ll get Ladybug to string you up by your ankles from the Eiffel Tower,” she threatened.

“Meowch, Nettie!” teased Adrien as they gathered the packets and made their way out of the lounge. He laughed again, shooting her a conspiratorial wink. Again, he missed the panicked expression that crossed her face. “Relax. I’m in a better mood now than I was earlier. Thank you for that, by the way.”

Marinette smiled as they walked up the steps, bringing Adrien to a slight pause to give him a hug before entering the room. “You were there for me when I hit my lowest point. It’s only fair I do the same for you,” she whispered in his ear. 

Adrien returned the squeeze and they parted, opening up the door. 

“You know, Mr. Agreste won’t take kindly to someone making his son late for class,” Chloe drawled as the two teens came beside Ms. Bustier’s desk. The glare she was leveling on Marinette was scorching enough to melt glaciers.

“Isn’t it enough that you’re always late, Marinette? How could you do that to Adrien? I thought he was your friend?” Lila seconded.

Marinette was surprised to see Ms. Bustier’s eyes harden as she came around the desk. “On the contrary, ladies, I asked Marinette and Adrien to take care of something for me when I ran into them in the hall, so your accusations are uncalled for. Adrien, Marinette? Can you both start handing out the packets you put together?” she asked.

Marinette was grinning slightly to herself as she counted off seven packets while Adrien counted off eight, and they set to dispensing their piles to their classmates. Ms. Bustier was watching the class intently, and finally Marinette returned to her seat. Ms. Bustier nodded once to herself as Adrien sat down as well, and started in on her lecture. 

Marinette was focused on the lecture, scribbling out notes and cross referencing with the packet every now and again that she missed the pivotal point that would change her life irrevocably. But it was certainly just after this moment things went to hell in a handbasket.

"From this verse here--" Ms. Bustier used a laser pointer on the board, underlying a specific point on the slide. Marinette watched as Adrien, who was ramrod stiff, followed the little red dot if the jerky movements of his head were anything to go by.

Marinette smirked to herself, thinking about Chat Noir. Her partner loved and hated laser pointers, but he would laugh along with her as he was chasing the glowing point. She heaved a slight sigh, resolving to buy a laser pointer later that day to tease her kitty with the next time he came over.

She was suddenly shaken from her thoughts when a murderous yowl broke through the lecture and something black flew out of the darkness to claw at the board. When the red dot moved onto the slide when Ms. Bustier jumped in her surprise, Marinette forced down a disparaged whine of recognition.

Plagg was here, had been watching since the start of the lecture. That meant someone in this class was Chat Noir.

There was only one option, Marinette realized as every student save for herself and one other were akumatized by Hawk Moth at some point in time.

What if Plagg was just exploring the school like last time? That didn't necessarily mean his holder was in her class. All the kwami wanted to be close to their Guardian after all. 

Regardless, her blue eyes cut to Adrien. He was still ramrod straight, except he was now…

Wriggling? Squirming? He reminded her of a—

"What the Crepe Suzette?!" Nino cried.

"Is that what I think it is?!” Alya exclaimed as she jumped up in her seat.

* * *

Adrien was veritably shaking in his seat, his eyes locked to the dot on the board. Plagg was still hissing and spitting as he tried to catch the little glowing demon, but Ms. Bustier had since calmed down and was giggling a bit as she moved the laser around, beckoning Plagg to follow it. His own eyes were following the point and Plagg, the urge to grab both his kwami and the dot rising. He couldn’t without giving himself away however.

He couldn’t hear the class collapsing into shambles over the blood pounding in his ears. Adrien’s shaking grew worse the more Ms. Bustier moved the laser pointer and he felt Nino’s hand on his shoulder.

“Bro, you okay dude?” 

Adrien was unable to answer, but he started rising from his seat. He needed to catch that dot, needed to chase, to claw, scratch, pounce…

“Listen, dude, don’t worry! It’s not gonna hurt us,” Nino whispered.

How could he say that? He needed to get that dot before it blinded someone! Someone like Marinette, who would tumble down the stairs clutching her eyes and—

A low growl settled in the back of Adrien’s throat and he settled into pouncing position, readying himself to jump towards the board. If he were lucky he’d catch both the dot and Plagg at the same time.

He never had the chance when Marinette launched from her desk, surprising everyone with the giant leap across the room. 

“Get over here, you little cheese gremlin!” she screamed. 

Adrien’s attention on the laser pointer was gone as those words resonated through his ears and he watched as Marinette snapped her hands around Plagg. _There’s no way..._ he thought to himself. _There’s no way she should know I call him that._

“As this class’ representative, I can’t have you disrupting us in such a manner,” Marinette said as Adrien’s eyes flicked between her and his panic stricken kwami. “Ms. Bustier, I’m taking this creature outside. If you hear yelling, that’s probably me.”

Adrien watched, internally panicking with Plagg as the kwami’s eyes met his from across the room before Marinette shot out the door again. Marinette knew what kwamis were from her time as Multimouse. _Maybe even not as Multimouse,_ Adrien realized. _Dammit, I can’t even rush out right after her or I’ll give myself away to the others here in class. Kim, Alya, Nino, and Max. Maybe Alix too now that I think on it._

He looked around, noticing that the class was still talking in hushed tones about what just happened. All except one person.

“Ms. Bustier, where did Lila go?” he asked.

Ms. Bustier looked up at the last row where the Italian normally sat with Nathanael, but she was nowhere to be seen. “I’m not certain Adrien. Go after Marinette and see if you two can find her,” she told him. 

Now that he had permission to leave, Adrien took off like a bat out of hell. He needed to find Marinette and Plagg first and foremost. He needed his kwami back! Where would have Marinette gone first? Lila would have gone for the locker rooms, but if he knew Marinette as well as he did, she’d go the opposite direction. He walked briskly for the library instead, and walked towards the furthermost corner in the back. There was a room there that students could use for collaboration after all that was soundproofed to keep the quiet. Sure enough, as Adrien let himself into the room, he locked the door and drew the shades for further privacy.

“It’s okay, Plagg. You’re not in trouble. I know how it is with cats and laser pointers, okay?” Marinette whispered gently as she gently stroked the kwami between his ears.

“Of all the times to act like a cat, it had to be when I woke up from my nap!” Plagg groused. His ears flattened against his head as he looked up at Marinette with wide kitten eyes. “This isn’t going to get my kid in trouble, right? You’re not gonna take me away from him?”

“No! Never! Though I’m curious as to why you’re so far from Chat to begin with.”

His heart hammered in his chest at the confirmation that Marinette was, in fact, Ladybug.

His Lady was within reach all this time...

“Marinette?” Adrien asked as he stepped closer. 

The raven haired girl jumped at hearing his voice, but she smiled as she continued to pet Plagg. “It’s okay, Adrien. It’s just a kwami. Plagg’s upset because he thinks he got his holder in trouble,” she said with a soft grin. She looked to him with confusion for a moment before holding Plagg a little closer. “Why did you follow me here?”

Adrien shook nervously for a moment. Should he tell her now, let her know he figured her out? “I know what kwamis are Marinette. After all—” _Here goes nothing,_ he thought to himself. “—you tried to give me Sass before you gave him to Luka.”

Marinette’s face went pale at his words. “How...How did you—”

“When you called Plagg a little cheese gremlin,” he said with a wan grin. “There’s only one person I ever told that, and it wasn’t Marinette.” Adrien rushed forward as Marinette swayed on her feet, her eyes rolling up into the back of her head. His arms wrapped around her, catching her as she sagged forward in a faint.

Laughter bubbled forward without him realizing it, and Adrien eased them down to the floor while cradling her head against his chest. “I’ve got you, Nettie,” he whispered into her hair. She was already rousing against him and Plagg hovered nearby. “You may as well come out, Tikki. I know you’re there.”

“Sweet sugar cookies...IT’S ABOUT TIME!” exclaimed the ladybug kwami as she flew into sight. Tikki tapped one little nub against Marinette’s nose to rouse her further. “Come on, Marinette! You need to get back to class!”

Marinette bolted up against Adrien, looking up at him in alarm. “Adrikitty! Chatrien! I mean—” 

Oh no! He was not going to give her the chance to go into a meltdown and Adrien drew her into a tight hug. “It’s gonna be okay, Maribug. We’ll talk it out later on patrol, okay? Right now, we need to head back to the classroom and see if Lila’s back yet. I think she slipped out after you dashed off with Plagg,” he said, opening his over shirt enough for Plagg to zip into his normal hiding spot. He rose to his feet and he held out his hand, palm up, to Marinette. 

He was surprised when she placed her hand in his with a smile. 

“As much as I wanna do this now, you’re right. We don’t have the time to unpack everything right now. We tell Ms. Bustier we couldn’t find her?”

Adrien grinned as he opened the door and he gave her his signature Chat smirk. “As always, you read my mind. I could care less about finding her after all,” he chortled. His face fell after a moment and he took her hand in his, giving it a squeeze that belied his insecurities. “This—This doesn’t change anything, does it?”

Marinette paused and she gave him a smile that blinded him. Her free hand came up to cup his cheek, and she gave him a strong squeeze in return. “Only in the best way, Adri. I promise. You’re my dorky best friend on both sides of the mask. No matter what, it’s always going to be you and me,” she said.

Adrien smiled as he leaned forward, touching his brow to Marinette’s. “Against the world, m’lady,” he whispered.


End file.
